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How to use the Apple Watch and Stryd?
How to use the Apple Watch and Stryd?
Updated over a month ago

Please make sure that you have properly set up your Stryd with your Apple Watch.

Starting an Open Run

An open run is a run that is not a power-based structured workout. This would be any run that is not associated with a Stryd Training Plan or a Stryd Workout.

  1. Open the Stryd app on your Apple Watch

  2. Choose the run profile you wish to use
    i.e. Run, Trail Run, Treadmill Run, Indoor Run, Track Run

  3. Choose to Start Open Run or Build a Custom Run
    "Start Open Run" will simply record your activity
    "Build Custom Run" will allow you to add a power target to your open run

  4. Next, you will be able to start the activity

How to End or Pause a Run on the Apple Watch Stryd App

While the Apple Watch is recording, pull down on the first screen to access the in-run options. The in-run options include Pause/Resume, Lap, Settings, and End.

You can program the Action Button on the Apple Watch Pro. Now the Action button can be used to open the Stryd app, Lap an activity, and in combination with the side button, pause a workout.

  1. On your iPhone select the Watch app

  2. Select Action Button

  3. Change Action to Workouts

  4. Change App to Stryd

On version 7.3.2 or earlier, you will need to long press the screen of the Apple Watch Stryd App for the Run Control Screen to appear to end or pause the run. Once you long-press the screen, you will be presented with options on how to end or pause the run.

End Run Screen Summary for Apple Watch Stryd App

When you end a run on the Stryd app for Apple Watch, you can see details from your run instantly. This can be helpful, especially if you don’t want to wait for the run to load on your iPhone before you start digging into the details!

At a glance, you can see a summary of your run’s averages.

You can customize your summary screen metrics by selecting the setting icon. Here you can add power, duration, distance, pace, heart rate, cadence, ground contact time, vertical oscillation, elevation gain, temperature, humidity, and stride length. You can also move the metrics around on the summary screen to further your customizations.

If you need to remove metrics from the summary screen you can do so by,

  1. Selecting the summary screen settings

  2. Scrolling to the metric you wish to remove

  3. Swiping left on the metric

  4. Selecting the delete button

Metrics can be added and removed after every run in the Apple Watch Summary Screen.

By swiping left on the Summary Screen you will be taken to the Lap Summary screen. Here you can select any lap from your run that you would like to know more about. Once you click on one of the laps, you can easily swipe left or right to see the details of the other laps from your run.

You will be able to see the average power, duration, distance, pace, heart rate, cadence, ground contact time, vertical oscillation, elevation gain, temperature, humidity, and stride length from every lap. Additionally, you will be able to see the map view of the lap.

If you want to change the lap average metric show, you can do so by selecting the metric icon in the top right corner. Then you will be able to select the Stryd metric that you want to analyze.

This can be useful if you need to know a specific detail about one of your intervals in a workout, or about a particular mile or kilometer on your recovery day. Knowing the details about how metrics change over the course of a run can be an irreplaceable asset.

From the lap overview screen, you will be able to swipe left and view the map collected from the run. The map view can be useful to better understand the route you took.

By swiping left on the map view you will be able to see the last screen in the End Run Screen Summary. The last screen shows the average temperature and humidity for the run.

Once you have viewed the pertinent information, you will have the option to save or delete the activity from your watch. If you discard the activity it will not be saved to your iPhone Stryd app. If you choose to save the activity, it will be available on the Stryd app on your iPhone.

In Run Settings for Apple Watch (Speech cues, Sounds, and Haptics)

Users can adjust the Speech cues, Sounds, and Haptics Settings during a run with the Stryd app for Apple Watch. The Water Lock function can also be adjusted in these settings.

Instructions:

  1. Start a run and make sure you are on Screen one

  2. Swipe the first screen down from the top of the screen
    This will pull down the Run Control Screen

  3. Select the Settings icon
    From the Run Control Screen, you can also access Pause, Stop, Start, and Lap buttons

  4. From Settings, you can toggle off/on Speech Cues, Sounds and Haptics, and Water Lock

These settings will save for the current run only and will default back to your original settings after the run has finished.

Power Targets for Stryd Apple Watch App "Build Custom Run"

With the Apple Watch Open Run mode, you can now set a power target or a power range for the entire run. With this new release, you will be able to effortlessly run with the precision guidance you need to hit your perfect power target for any run with the help of alerts and a new visual gauge to keep you in your target zone.

This feature is only available in the Apple Watch Stryd app and only for Open Run Mode. These new features will not be available during a Structured Power-Based Workout.

Finding this new feature

  1. Open the Stryd app on your Apple Watch

  2. Scroll down and select Open Run

  3. Select "Build Custom Run"

  4. You can change the Target Type by selecting "Target Type"

  5. You can choose between Range and Target

Target Type "Target" vs "Range"

There are two different Power Ranges to choose from.

Target Type Target will be focused around a single power Target with a tolerance that you can set. This tolerance will be plus or minus (+/-) the Watts that you input. This means that if you set your Target to 200 W and a tolerance of 15 W, your watch will alert you if your power exceeds 215 W or decreases past 185 W.

The Target Type Range will allow you to set a range for your run. You can customize the lower and upper Watts for this range. This means you can set a lower and upper limit and your watch will alert you if your Watts strays out of these bounds.

What should I use this feature for?

This feature is perfect for any Open Run where you need to manage your effort. You can not use these features with a Power-Based Structured Workout. They can only be used for the Open Run Mode.

Some runners may use this feature for easy runs. If you find yourself running too fast on an easy day, this feature can help you run at a steady recovery effort.

Some runners may use this feature for tempo runs. If you have a hard run scheduled and want to make sure you don't slow down, the feature will help you run at the same tempo effort.

Enable Environmental Adjusted Power on Stryd's Apple Watch app

Stryd's Environmental Adjusted Power will be helpful if you need to race or train in locations that have very different environmental conditions compared to your last 90 days of training.

Add Environmental Adjusted Power to the workout screen

  1. Open the Stryd app on the Apple Watch

    1. Stryd Membership is required to activate this feature.

  2. Select the three horizontal dots in the upper right-hand corner of the run profile that you wish to see this feature on.

  3. Select "Alert Metric"

  4. Select "E. Adjusted Power" and then select among Real Time, 3 Second, 5 Second, 10 Second, 30 Second, Lap, and Overall averaged values

Add Environmental Adjusted Power, temperature, or humidity to your workout screens

  1. Open the Stryd app on the Apple Watch

    1. Stryd Membership is required to activate this feature.

  2. Go to Settings within the Stryd app on Apple Watch

  3. Select "Screens Configuration"

  4. Tap a screen and then tap "Metrics"

  5. Tap a metric and then choose between "E. Adjusted Power", "Temperature", and "Humidity" options

Add and Change Screens on the Apple Watch

Custom screens can be extremely useful for Open Runs as well as Structured Workouts.

  1. Open the Stryd app on your Apple Watch

  2. Select the Settings icon

  3. Select the Screen Configurations

  4. Here you can edit existing screens or press the + button to add another custom screen

  5. Select the screen you wish to edit

  6. Scroll up and down to choose the Field Orientation

  7. Then select Metrics to add custom metrics

    There are many metrics to choose from, including Time (overall, lap) Distance (overall, lap) Power (Real, 3s, 10s, 30s, Lap, Overall) Pace (Real, 3s, 10s, 30s, Lap, Overall) Heart Rate (Real, 3s, 10s, 30s, Lap, Overall) Vertical Oscillation (Real, 3s, 10s, 30s, Lap, Overall) Elevation Gain (Overall, Lap) Ground Contact Time (Real, 3s, 10s, 30s, Lap, Overall) and Cadence (Real, 3s, 10s, 30s, Lap, Overall)

Settings overview of the Apple Watch Stryd app

Below are the explanations of the information you will see on the home screen of the Stryd app for Apple Watch.

Run Profiles

When you open the Stryd app you will be shown five different run profiles: Run, Trail Run, Treadmill Run, Indoor Run, and Track Run.

Each profile has certain customizations that you can add. These customizations can be made by selecting the three horizontal dots in the upper right-hand corner of the profile.

The customizations you can choose from are: Alert Metrics, Upper Alerts, Lower Alerts, Tones and Haptics, Speech Cues, GPS, and Auto-Pause.

Legacy App

This option will be useful for any Apple Watch that is not supported by the new Stryd app. If your Apple Watch is compatible with the current Stryd App Build, do not use the Legacy app.

Home Screen Experience

The top right icon will bring you the Home Screen Display Mode Selection screen.

The new screens you can select are Recent Runs, Critical Power, and RSB. Notice that the Run Selection Screen is the button to return to your Run Profiles screen.

Recent Runs

Selecting this option will bring you to a summary view, similar to what you see after

completing a run.

Critical Power

Selecting this option will give you a detailed view of your current Critical Power. This includes your current Critical Power, Critical Power in Watts per Kilogram, and the date your Critical Power was last updated.

RSB (Running Stress Balance)

Please note that this part of the Home Screen Experience requires the Stryd Membership. Selecting this screen will display your current RSB. By scrolling down, either with the crown or by swiping down on the screen, you will be taken to a screen with the definition and description of every range of RSB and what it means about your current training.

Today's Workout

If you have a Stryd Power-Based Workout on your calendar for today, that workout will be the first thing you see when you select the run mode you wish to use. You can select this workout whenever you are ready to begin the training session.

Open Run

After selecting the run mode you wish to use, you will have the option to "Start Open Run". This is how you can start a free run in the Stryd Apple Watch app.

Start Run

Before you start an Open Run, you will be able to select the Run Profile that fits your needs. The current Run Profile options are Run, Treadmill Run, Trail Run, Track Run, and Indoor Run.

Settings

The settings folder is where you can find important information about the app, as well as access customization settings for the app.

Screen Configurations

Here you can customize screens that you would like to see while running.

You can have as many as 7 metrics displayed on one screen and as little as one metric displayed on one screen. You can also add as many custom screens as you need.

To delete a screen, just press on the screen and push it to the left. A red "X" will appear to the right of the screen. If you select this red "X" button the screen will delete.

At the bottom of this screen, you will have the ability to turn on and off the Music Screen option. If the music screen is turned on, it will always be available as the last screen while you are running. The reason this button is necessary is that you can not navigate to Spotify or Apple Music while you are using the Stryd app. The Stryd app can not be used in the background. Using the Stryd app in the background will cause the run to stop recording.

Calibration

The Calibration feature can be used to calibrate your Stryd pod if there is a discrepancy between the pod's distance recording and a known distance. If you think your Stryd pod needs calibration, please review this document: Distance and Calibration

Side Buttons

The Side Buttons can be customized to function as either a pause button or a lap button. You can also turn this feature off. If you press both the crown and back buttons on the Apple Watch at the same time, it becomes the "Side Buttons".

Action Button

The Action Button on the Apple Watch Ultra can be used as the lap button, as well as the "Start Stryd Run" and "Pause Run" buttons. You will need to edit the settings on your Apple Watch to enable these actions.

  1. Open Settings on the Apple Watch Ultra

  2. Select Action Button

  3. Set Workout as the Action

  4. Select Stryd App as the App

  5. Select "Star a Workout" as your Frist Press

Please note that only the Apple Watch Ultra has an Action Button. These instructions will not work on other Apple Watch models.

Auto-Lap

Here you can turn on and off the Auto-Lap feature. You will want to turn this feature off if you plan on doing any Stryd Power-Based Workouts. The Auto-Lap will corrupt the data in a Stryd Power-Based Workout.

Water Lock On Start

If it is snowing, raining, or very humid outside, it may be a good idea to turn this feature on. This will prevent water or a wet sleeve from unintentionally pausing or stopping your workout or open run.

Advanced

These options let you customize how information is presented to you during a Workout.

User Info

This will give you information about your Account, Stryd Info, App Info, and the ability to Log Out of your Stryd app on your Apple Watch.

Training Condition History

This will give you information about the last 90 days of training. Specifically, you will be shown the Temperature, Humidity, and Elevation at which you have been running.

Internal Settings

Here is where you can test your Haptics. These are the unique sounds you can test: notification, directionUp, directionDown, success, failure, retry, start, stop, and click.

Debug Options

Here you can check the Files to Upload and Emulate a Crash. You will not need to select either of these options unless told to do so by a Stryd Customer Support Specialist.

To exit the Stryd App Settings, please select "< Settings" in the top left corner of the app. This will bring you back to the Home screen of the Stryd app for Apple Watch.

Apple Health does not properly use Stryd data

When using the Stryd App on your Apple Watch to record your runs, data will transfer to the Apple Health app automatically. However, Apple Health does not use the pace and distance data as recorded by Stryd but relies on its own internal data (i.e. most likely distance data recorded by GPS). Therefore, the data shown in Apple's Fitness app will be different than what is shown in the Stryd app and 3rd party platforms like Strava, TrainingPeaks, etc.

The additional Stryd metrics such as Vertical Oscillation (VO) and Ground Contact Time (GCT) will not appear in Apple Health post-run.

Stryd App cannot be used with other apps simultaneously

If you are recording a workout through the Stryd app, other functions on the Apple Watch may be limited.

The Stryd app will allow for most background apps and processes to run while the Stryd app is visible on-screen. Bluetooth connectivity and data reporting from your Stryd foot pod will be paused if you navigate away from the Stryd app during an actively recording run. This is a requirement of Apple’s Watch OS.

The Stryd app will not be compatible if primarily running in the background with another app on-screen. Some examples of processes that will not interact well with Stryd's workout recording are other real-time activity tracker apps attempting to provide running metrics about your current workout-- such as heart rate, elevation gain, or GPS location on topographical maps.

Force closing the Stryd Apple Watch App

If you experience any issues and need to force close the app, you can do so by following these steps:

  1. Press and hold down the side button until the shutdown screen appears.

  2. Release the side button, then press and hold the Digital Crown to force quit the active app.

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